Government of India is planning to replace the existing Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet used by Prime Minister and President for their long distant visits. The existing jet is more than two decades old and the government is planning to buy a replacement for it.
There are two major issues before the government in purchasing the special plane – whether the new plane should be two-engine or four-engine and whether Air India or Indian Air Force should be operating the replacement plane. The concern with a two-engine or four-engine plane issue is the massive cost constraint between both the models. The various models in the consideration of the government are ranging between 1350 Crores and 2300 Crores.
It is said that fuel efficiency for long distance is the major concern before finalizing a plane besides the usual security concerns. The top brass of Civil Aviation authorities will be shortlisting few models and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to take the final decision.
